Basic beef burgers
The secret of really good beef burgers is the quality of the mince, it doesn't need to be an expensive cut but it is essential to use freshly minced beef. A small percentage of fat in the mince will make the burgers sweet and juicy – between 20-25%
SERVES
4
PEOPLE
PREP TIME
10
MINUTES
COOKING TIME
10
MINUTES
Ingredients
15g (½ oz) butter or extra virgin olive oil
75g (3oz) onion, finely chopped (optional)
450g (1lb) freshly minced beef — flank, chump, or shin would be perfect
½ teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
½ teaspoon finely chopped flat-leaf parsley
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
olive oil
To serve (optional):
burger or brioche buns
lettuce
sliced ripe tomatoes
sliced red onion
crispy bacon
avocado slices or a dollop of guacamole
fried onions
roast or piquillo peppers
kimchi, pickled slaw or pickles
spicy mayo, spicy tomato sauce,
barbecue sauce, hot sauce, bacon jam or relish of your choice
Method
Melt the butter in a saucepan, toss in the onions, if using, cover and sweat over a low heat for 5-6 minutes until soft but not coloured. Set aside to get cold.
Meanwhile, mix the beef mince with the herbs and season with salt and pepper. Then add the cooled onions and mix well. Fry off a tiny bit of the mixture in the pan to check the seasoning and adjust if necessary.
With wet hands, shape the mixture into four burgers, or more depending on the size you require. Chill until needed.
Cook to your taste in a little oil in a medium-hot frying or barbecue, turning once. For rare, cook for 2 minutes on each side; for medium, 3 minutes; and for well done, 4 minutes. If you’re cooking the burgers in batches, make sure to wash and dry the pan between batches. Burgers can plump up in the centre while being cooked; to avoid this, make an indentation in the centre of each raw burger with your thumb. Serve with any of the serving suggestions above, or try one of the variations.
Extracted from How to Cook: The 100 Essential Recipes Everyone Should Know by Darina Allen (Kyle)
